Empower will administer retirement plans for more than 85,000 Michigan employees

Current plans include $5 billion in assets

Empower announced today that the Municipal Employees’ Retirement System of Michigan (MERS) will be joining the nation’s second-largest¹ retirement and wealth management services provider.

Empower will administer DC 401(a), DC Hybrid, 457(b), Health Care Savings Program, Retiree Health Funding Vehicle and IRA retirement plans for more than 85,000 Michigan employees with $5 billion in plan assets as of December 31, 2025.

“All of us at Empower look forward to partnering with the MERS team. We are proud to have the opportunity to support the individuals who serve and protect the communities across the great State of Michigan,” said Joe Smolen, president, Workplace Solutions at Empower. “We will work together to expand the program and help support those who serve the Michigan communities achieve their financial goals.”

Empower is one of the largest providers of government workplace retirement plans in the country, serving entities across states, cities, counties, municipalities, associates, territories and special districts (such as transit and utility), as well as police and fire departments, providing recordkeeping, administration or investment services for 29 state retirement programs.

“We have extensive knowledge and experience managing complex plans,” said Marybeth Daubenspeck, vice president, government markets, at Empower. “MERS of Michigan is certainly a complex program, and our engagement with the MERS team has enabled us to gain insights into their unique requirements and objectives. We have enhanced our technology platform to support organizations like MERS, who support adopting employers from across the state. Together, we will serve member employers and their workers and grow membership. We are all looking forward to this new partnership.”

“At the heart of this partnership are the people who serve our communities every day — the public employees who keep Michigan running. They’ve committed their lives to serving others, and they deserve a retirement experience that truly supports them. By working with Empower, we’re taking an important step toward making it easier for them to plan, prepare and achieve a more secure retirement,” said MERS CEO Kerrie Vanden Bosch.

Learn about Empower’s 2025 government research, Empowering America’s Financial Journey™: Government sector.

About Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (MERS)

The Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (MERS) is an organization that administers retirement plans for Michigan’s local units of government on a not-for-profit basis. We offer comprehensive services, keep costs low, and put our members’ interests first – making us the plan fiduciary.

Our mission is to support a secure retirement for those who serve Michigan communities.

We proudly serve more than 1,000 municipalities representing over 150,000 participants, including firefighters, nurses, and the people who plow our roads and keep our communities safe.

Learn more at www.mersofmich.com.

About Empower

Recognized as a leader in retirement services and wealth management,¹ Empower administers over $2.0 trillion in assets² for more than 19.5 million individuals through the provision of workplace and individual retirement plans, advice, financial planning, and investments. Connect with us on empower.com, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram.

1. Pensions & Investments DC Recordkeeper Survey (2025). Ranking measured by total number of participants as of December 31, 2024.
2. As of December 31, 2025. Assets under administration (AUA) refers to the assets administered by Empower. AUA does not reflect the financial stability or strength of a company.

Empower refers to the products and services offered by Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America and its subsidiaries. “EMPOWER” and all associated logos and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America.

The information contained herein is being provided for discussion purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities. All visuals are illustrative only.

©2026 Empower Retirement, LLC. All rights reserved. WF-6067523-0526 RO-5361168-0526

Learn more:

To learn more about how we’re empowering plan sponsors and their participants to be more engaged in their retirement plans than ever before, call us at 800-719-9914.

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